Cellulose-digesting microorganisms live in the guts of termites and ruminant mammals. The microorganisms have a home and food, a
nd their hosts gain more nutrition from their meals. This relationship is an example of _____.a. commensalism b. predation c. parasitism d. herbivory e. mutualism
Ecological relationships exists between organisms of the same or different species in the ecosystem. This relationship might benefit others and be harmful to others. One of these relationships is MUTUALISM, which is the relationship where both organisms involved benefits from the action of one another i.e. both organisms are gaining.
In this case involving cellulose-digesting termite and ruminant animals, it is an example of MUTUALISM because the cellulose-digesting termite helps the ruminant animal digest cellulose in their guts, something which the animals cannot do on their own, and in return, the termites are provided with shelter and something to feed on. Hence, both the termite and the ruminant animal are benefitting from the relationship.
Since the two organism involved are of different species and share net benefit from the association then is Mutualism, that is the mirobe obtained shelter and protection from the hosts; termites or ruminant mammal, and the host gained from the metabolic process of digestion of cellulose in the cell walls of plants materials they feed upon.
It cant be commercialism in which only one of the two species benefited from the relationships why the other neither benefits or not.(Remora fish and shark) Predation, not an association, parasitism leads to death of one the organism involved.
